1. Field of the Inventions
The present inventions relate to a steering system for an outboard motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Outboard motors are typically mounted on a transom plate of a watercraft by means of a clamp bracket. Steering systems for outboard motors typically are adapted to change the direction of the associated watercraft by turning the outboard motor from side to side about a swivel shaft.
Recently, steering systems have been proposed in which an electric motor is used for steering outboard motors. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. JP-C-2959044 discloses such a system. The steering system described in this publication transforms the linear motion of a rack and pinion mechanism into rotary motion with a link mechanism to turn the swivel bracket. This turning motion of the swivel bracket steers the outboard motor body.
In this steering system, the electric motor is used as a source of driving force for turning a pinion of the rack and pinion mechanism. The electric motor and the rack and pinion mechanism are attached to a bracket that connects the outboard motor and the transom plate, and they are arranged inside of the transom plate (i.e. inboard side).
In this steering system, however, mounting bosses and stays for attaching the steering system must be provided on the bracket assembly (which includes the clamp bracket and the swivel bracket). This results in a complex structure and increases the size of the bracket assembly. It also leads to a complicated procedure for mounting the steering system to the watercraft. In addition, the steering system described above would occupy larger inboard space around the bracket due to a need for preventing the interference with other members when it is mounted to the bracket or when the outboard motor is in the tilt-up position.